Music festival in Qabala

In late July, an international music festival opened in Qabala. It began in 2009, when Azerbaijan had fully recovered from the recession of the 1990s and it was time to expand the borders of international cultural ties and tell the world about the rich Azerbaijani culture.

Since then, international contests of young piano players, concerts of mugham, classic, chamber and jazz music and vocals have been organized on the platforms of the festival.

“The multi-ethnic and multi-religious society of Azerbaijan, existing for centuries, formed a completely unique cultural space. Projects improving the efficiency of the cultural and spiritual integration of peoples are very important for us. We perceive the festival as a big contribution to mutual enrichment of music culture of various nations, the further strengthening of friendly relations between peoples,” believes Mehriban Aliyeva, the president of the Heydar Aliyev Fund, speaking as one of the organizers of the festival.

The Qabala Music Festival is traditionally attended by notable Jewish performers: Yuri Bashmet, a violist and a conductor, the head of the Novaya Rossiya State Symphonic Orchestra, pianists Oksana Yablonskaya and Boris Berezovsky, conductor and violoncellist Dmitry Yablonsky, opera singer Sergey Leyferkus. The festival gains more popularity every year, gathering talented people from all over the world.

An Israeli quintet of wind instruments performed at the Qafqaz Resort Hotel yesterday. A few days earlier in Qabala, the Johannesburg Symphonic Orchestra made a performance. Rauf Abdullayev, a People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, holder of the Shokhrat Order, receiver of a presidential scholarship, was the conductor of the orchestra. The audience was charmed by pianist Murad Adygezalzadeh, the director of the Azerbaijani Muslim Magomayev State Philharmonic, who performed fragments of Beethoven's and Brahms’ works.

Both famous and amateur musicians like to perform in Qabala. Violinist Ilya Korol, a lector of the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, said that participating in the festival both broadened prospects and inspiration for creativity: “Hosting such a beautiful music festival among picturesque nature, high mountains, in fresh air gives locals and foreign guests unforgettable moments.” Having arrived in Azerbaijan this time, Korol could not recognize Baku and Qabala: “Coming out of the plane at the International Heydar Aliyev Airport, I did not recognize the city; I was fascinated by five-star hotel complexes, available conditions, hospitable people and high-quality service.”

Azer Rzazadeh, who performed at the evening of chamber music, assisted by a pianist, a student of the Gaidna Conservatory, winner of the Mushfig Guliyev international contests, is the essence of modern Azerbaijan. He is a 24-year-old musician and kick-boxer, son of Azerbaijani People’s Artist Zaur Rzayev, notable for folk songs. Recently, he has become a solo singer of the Azerbaijani State Opera and Ballet Theater, winner of international contests, attendee of international festivals. He performed with many orchestras of Austria, France, Italy, Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey, the UK and the UAE. Rzazadeh is a student of the La Scala Academy.

 “It is a great honour for me to take part in the international festival in Qabala, where notable performers and musicians from all over the world make appearances. Music fans from many countries visit Qabala, which has become a center of classical music, once again highlighting the glorious traditions of world music in Azerbaijan, our hospitality and the high level of international events for cultural and spiritual integration between peoples. The festival, while serving for promotion of Azerbaijani culture, is also a means of popularizing the music traditions of our country in the world,” Azer Rzazadeh told Trend Life.

Honorary Artist pianist Nargiz Aliyarova, holder of an honorary diploma of Poland, believes that the Qabala festival is another instrument for promotion of Azerbaijani culture in the world: “Qabala is transforming from a provincial city into an international cultural center, a harmonic center of national and classic, eastern and western music. Works of great Azerbaijani and foreign composers are just as majestic on the Qabala stage. Young performers and musicians with world names perform on the same stage. Classical and chamber music can be heard. At the festival I witness what great interest the local and foreign audiences show in the beautiful Azerbaijani music that brings people joy."

In late July, an international music festival opened in Qabala. It began in 2009, when Azerbaijan had fully recovered from the recession of the 1990s and it was time to expand the borders of international cultural ties and tell the world about the rich Azerbaijani culture.Since then, international contests of young piano players, concerts of mugham, classic, chamber and jazz music and vocals have been organized on the platforms of the festival.“The multi-ethnic and multi-religious society of Azerbaijan, existing for centuries, formed a completely unique cultural space. Projects improving the efficiency of the cultural and spiritual integration of peoples are very important for us. We perceive the festival as a big contribution to mutual enrichment of music culture of various nations, the further strengthening of friendly relations between peoples,” believes Mehriban Aliyeva, the president of the Heydar Aliyev Fund, speaking as one of the organizers of the festival.The Qabala Music Festival is traditionally attended by notable Jewish performers: Yuri Bashmet, a violist and a conductor, the head of the Novaya Rossiya State Symphonic Orchestra, pianists Oksana Yablonskaya and Boris Berezovsky, conductor and violoncellist Dmitry Yablonsky, opera singer Sergey Leyferkus. The festival gains more popularity every year, gathering talented people from all over the world.An Israeli quintet of wind instruments performed at the Qafqaz Resort Hotel yesterday. A few days earlier in Qabala, the Johannesburg Symphonic Orchestra made a performance. Rauf Abdullayev, a People’s Artist of Azerbaijan, holder of the Shokhrat Order, receiver of a presidential scholarship, was the conductor of the orchestra. The audience was charmed by pianist Murad Adygezalzadeh, the director of the Azerbaijani Muslim Magomayev State Philharmonic, who performed fragments of Beethoven's and Brahms’ works.Both famous and amateur musicians like to perform in Qabala. Violinist Ilya Korol, a lector of the Mozarteum University of Salzburg, said that participating in the festival both broadened prospects and inspiration for creativity: “Hosting such a beautiful music festival among picturesque nature, high mountains, in fresh air gives locals and foreign guests unforgettable moments.” Having arrived in Azerbaijan this time, Korol could not recognize Baku and Qabala: “Coming out of the plane at the International Heydar Aliyev Airport, I did not recognize the city; I was fascinated by five-star hotel complexes, available conditions, hospitable people and high-quality service.”Azer Rzazadeh, who performed at the evening of chamber music, assisted by a pianist, a student of the Gaidna Conservatory, winner of the Mushfig Guliyev international contests, is the essence of modern Azerbaijan. He is a 24-year-old musician and kick-boxer, son of Azerbaijani People’s Artist Zaur Rzayev, notable for folk songs. Recently, he has become a solo singer of the Azerbaijani State Opera and Ballet Theater, winner of international contests, attendee of international festivals. He performed with many orchestras of Austria, France, Italy, Russia, Greece, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Croatia, Turkey, the UK and the UAE. Rzazadeh is a student of the La Scala Academy. “It is a great honour for me to take part in the international festival in Qabala, where notable performers and musicians from all over the world make appearances. Music fans from many countries visit Qabala, which has become a center of classical music, once again highlighting the glorious traditions of world music in Azerbaijan, our hospitality and the high level of international events for cultural and spiritual integration between peoples. The festival, while serving for promotion of Azerbaijani culture, is also a means of popularizing the music traditions of our country in the world,” Azer Rzazadeh told Trend Life.Honorary Artist pianist Nargiz Aliyarova, holder of an honorary diploma of Poland, believes that the Qabala festival is another instrument for promotion of Azerbaijani culture in the world: “Qabala is transforming from a provincial city into an international cultural center, a harmonic center of national and classic, eastern and western music. Works of great Azerbaijani and foreign composers are just as majestic on the Qabala stage. Young performers and musicians with world names perform on the same stage. Classical and chamber music can be heard. At the festival I witness what great interest the local and foreign audiences show in the beautiful Azerbaijani music that brings people joy